How the Body Stores Emotions: What Ancient Wisdom and Modern Science Agree On

By Leah Cross, Acupuncturist & Emotional Healing Specialist | Pembrokeshire, UK

Have you ever felt a lump in your throat when holding back tears? A tight chest when you're grieving? Butterflies in your stomach before something big?

These aren't just poetic phrases. They're your body speaking.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), emotions aren't just “in your head”—they’re embedded in your organs, your meridians, your tissues. And now, modern science is catching up, confirming what ancient systems have known for thousands of years: the body remembers everything.

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Emotions and the Organs: The TCM Perspective

In Chinese medicine, each organ system is connected not only to physical functions, but also to specific emotions. When we experience strong or prolonged emotional states—especially if we suppress or ignore them—they can become lodged in the body, creating imbalance and even physical symptoms.

Lungs – Grief and Sadness

“I can’t breathe. I feel heavy.”

The lungs are connected to the emotion of grief. Suppressed sadness can lead to shallow breathing, tightness in the chest, and even skin conditions or lowered immunity. The lungs teach us how to let go—but sometimes we hold on too tightly to pain or loss.

Liver – Anger and Frustration

“I feel stuck. Everything irritates me.”

The liver is in charge of the smooth flow of Qi (life energy). When anger is repressed or left unresolved, it creates stagnation—leading to tension in the shoulders, headaches, menstrual issues, or digestive complaints.

Heart – Joy, Anxiety, and Heartbreak

“I feel unsteady. My heart hurts.”

The heart governs Shen, or spirit. It's linked to joy, but when that joy is absent or overwhelmed, we may feel anxiety, insomnia, or heartbreak. In TCM, emotional shock is believed to directly disturb the heart and Shen.

Spleen – Worry and Overthinking

“My mind won’t stop racing.”

The spleen helps us digest not only food, but also information and life experiences. Overthinking and chronic worry weaken the spleen, leading to fatigue, bloating, heaviness, and brain fog.

Kidneys – Fear and Insecurity

“I don’t feel safe.”

The kidneys are the foundation of our life energy, and are deeply affected by fear and trauma. Prolonged fear can deplete our reserves, causing lower back pain, adrenal fatigue, or a deep sense of insecurity.

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What Science Now Tells Us: Cellular Memory and the Body’s Intelligence

Beyond ancient understanding, emerging scientific research is beginning to echo these ideas. The concept of cellular memory suggests that our body’s cells—not just our brain—store emotional and sensory information.

One of the most compelling areas of this research is in organ transplantation.

There are now dozens of well-documented cases where heart transplant recipients, for example, begin to adopt preferences, emotions, dreams, and even memories from their donors. One recipient began craving foods she had never liked before—only to discover they were favourites of the donor. Others reported vivid dreams or sudden changes in personality.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, this makes perfect sense. The heart houses the Shen—the spirit, consciousness, or essence. While it’s believed the Shen leaves the body at death, it seems that something of its presence remains in the organ itself.

Science is now exploring how the body may carry emotional and energetic signatures, a concept long known in healing traditions around the world.

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Why Do Emotions Become Trapped?

There are many reasons we store emotions in the body:

We didn’t feel safe to express them at the time

The nervous system shut down during trauma

We were taught to “stay strong” or “not make a fuss”

We were too busy surviving to process how we felt

The result? Emotions settle into muscles, fascia, and organ systems like sediment. Over time, this can show up as:

Chronic pain with no clear cause

Digestive problems

Anxiety or depression

Fatigue or burnout

Feeling “off” or emotionally stuck

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How Do We Begin to Heal?

Healing doesn’t mean pretending everything is okay. It means creating a space where what was trapped can move again—gently, safely, and without judgment.

At my clinic in Pembrokeshire, I offer acupuncture and emotional wellness support to help the body release these stored emotions. By working with specific points, breath, and intention, we begin to restore balance to both body and mind.

Often, my clients say they feel lighter, clearer, or more connected after just one session—not because the problem “vanished,” but because the body finally felt heard.

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Final Thought: You Are Not Broken

If you’re carrying grief, anger, worry, or fear in your body, it’s not a sign of weakness. It’s a sign that you’re human.

The body remembers what the mind may forget. But the body also knows how to heal—once we listen.

If you're ready to reconnect with your body, feel more at ease emotionally, or are simply curious about how acupuncture can help, I invite you to book a session with me.

You deserve to feel safe in your body again.

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Leah Cross, Lic. Acu

Acupuncture | Emotional Healing

Serving Pembrokeshire and beyond

Contact 07802525750 to book your session.